Paddling in the Swiss Alps,

Paddling in the Swiss Alps,

I never thought it would be possible to go for a week of white water kayaking without a car. But in Switzerland both unnamed bank accounts and paddling by train are possible.

We headed down from Zurich to a small town called Versam –Safien to pickup the kayaks from a local Canoe School.  Then purchased our train tickets for the kayaks and headed a few stops up the railway to the campsite at Trun to join into the WilderWasseWoche (Wild Water Week) Trun.

The week was started over 30 years ago and has been run for the last 8 by Swiss Canoe Club Tegelbach. They organise a brilliant week paddling with paddling from grade 2-5 organised every day. Shuttles, trailers and leaders all part of the program.  The campsite is on the upper Rhine river, and there are many sections of this river coupled with numerous creeks flowing into it to keep you busy paddling a different river of any grade each day.

I started off with a steepish fast flowing river called the Glenner. It starts iwth a 4-5m sheer waterfall that allows a perfect boof.  Other rivers included the Moesa over in the Italian speaking canton of Tcine, the Lanquart a steep glacial freight train of a river, then various sections of the Vooredrein. The organisers are very friendly and super accommodating even for us English speakers.

I recall one river, listening in on a 2-minute involved description of the rapid ahead by our leader in Swiss-German. He then turned to me and said in broken English “First we go Left...then we go right...ok!”Which left me a little apprehensive -  But it’s all good, beautiful rivers, friendly people a must do in Europe!!

We have all been invited to attend next year! Have a look at the website.

http://www.kanuclub-tegelbach.ch/